


I Do

by BestHandwriting



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Mentioned Kaizuka Inaho/Slaine Troyard, Multi, but it's more for plot convenience than shippy content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 19:03:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12754320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BestHandwriting/pseuds/BestHandwriting
Summary: Today, Slaine forgets all of those what-could-have-beens and looks ahead. This is the whole rest of his life ahead of him. He and Kaizuka Inaho ‘til death do them part.And to that, Slaine finally can imagine saying those two words.I do.





	I Do

**Author's Note:**

> Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me. :)
> 
> I've been thinking about Aldnoah.Zero lately and found this while looking through my folder of completed and work-in-progress fanfics. It was supposed to be the prologue to the story of how Inaho and Slaine fell in love that was inspired by a conversation I had with someone about Inasure. However, I will never finish that fic, and since it works fine as a standalone piece, I thought I'd share it with you all now.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

As much as Slaine dreads to admit it, there are times in life when Kaizuka Inaho is right.

This is one of those times.

As the rain pours down, all he can think of is Inaho’s insistence they choose an inside venue. There was no fighting it, no matter how hard Slaine had tried to convince him of the merits of holding the ceremony outside. And when they booked the place, a little hall was Inaho’s choice.

Of course he was right.

Kaizuka Inaho always prides himself on his 95% accuracy.

It is a rather nice hall, quaint but welcoming. They set up the ceremony in the little chapel area, and that is especially lovely, lined with beautiful stained glass that dyed the room in a myriad of colors. The reception would be in another room to the side. Slaine hasn’t seen the decoration job yet, but with Lemrina and Eddelrittuo’s combined efforts, he is sure it would look wonderful.

They have done so much for him already. Someday, Slaine will have to repay them for all their efforts. But today, he will accept their help one last time.

Today is for him, after all.

Him and Inaho.

That sentence still sounds strange sometimes. Years ago, he and Inaho would have only been associated as bitter enemies. And sometimes, Slaine wonders if they ever really escaped that phase. There are days when he and Inaho argue to the point of breaking, and Slaine thinks, _This is it. This is the moment when we’re going to stop this pretend game and hate each other again._

And every time he thinks that, things calm.

Are they cohesive? Mostly. Are they in love? Sometimes. Are they capable of lasting? Perhaps.

That’s all it is, a great gamble on possibilities. But this time, Slaine’s willing to take the risk.

After all these years, there is no one who Slaine can bound himself to but Inaho. Asseylum has married Klancain, and they’re happier than either expected. Lemrina stepped back, despite her feelings, in recognition of the irreparable rifts between them. And Harklight… well, Slaine has accepted there will never be closure there, no matter how much he longs for it. Did Harklight live? Did he die? Slaine still doesn’t have the answers.

Today, Slaine forgets all of those what-could-have-beens and looks ahead. This is the whole rest of his life ahead of him. He and Kaizuka Inaho ‘til death do them part.

And to that, Slaine finally can imagine saying those two words. _I do._

There isn’t much time left until the ceremony. His heart races a little faster with every tick of the second hand, and his anxiety swells by the moment. What if this is all a horrible mistake? What if Inaho took him to the altar only to leave him looking foolish? It very well could be revenge. Inaho has never truly repaid the agony Slaine doled upon him.

But to brush aside Slaine’s concerns, an angel glides in the room. “Red was always your color, but white suits you nicely too.”

He turns around to see Lemrina, standing on her own two feet and smiling for once. His breath catches as he takes in her appearance. The halter dress Inaho picked out looks perfect on her, complimenting her figure while hiding the leg braces she still wears, and the silver tiara Slaine chose highlights the crown braid Eddelrittuo must have done for her.

But most remarkable of all, it’s how much she looks like her sister in that moment. They have known different worlds and lived different lives, yet at their base, they are not so different after all.

“You’re still technically engaged to me, Slaine. I’d object if you wanted me to.” She laughs so quickly, Slaine doesn’t have a chance to think of a response. “I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t ruin your and Inaho’s wedding.”

Though she’s only joking, her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she speaks. Slaine almost considers her offer as he watches her; a part of him still wonders if things could have been fixed between him and Lemrina.  But no matter how much his heart aches, that’s no longer an option. It doesn’t stop him from saying, “Even if I’m not marrying you, you do look lovely.”

And when she blushes at that, his heart twinges a little more. “Not as lovely as Inaho, or so Yuki insists. But thanks anyways, Slaine. It means a lot coming from you.”

Inaho… Slaine can’t imagine how he will look in a suit. The only times Slaine’s seen Inaho in anything but his uniform have been more casual than that. After all, it isn’t as if Slaine can attend the soirees a hero of the United Earth Federation makes appearances at regularly.

Anticipation overcomes that train of thought before he can lose himself in fantasies. “How much longer?”

Lemrina genuinely grins as she points at the clock. “Five more minutes. Then you’ll get to walk down that aisle and marry your man.”

Five more minutes. That’s a lot of time, really. A lot can change in five minutes, a minute, a second even.

“Do you think this will work out?” Slaine finally asks, not quite meeting her gaze. And once the question slips out, his heart calms a little. At last, someone knows the doubts inside him. Even if they are confirmed, at least now he can know what will meet him at the altar. “Inaho and I, we still fight sometimes like we used to. And even if it does work out, will I just be disappointing _them_?”

Lermina’s expression softens at his words. She knows who _them_ is as well as he does. “Inaho loves you more than I think you realize, Slaine. Do you think I would have let someone who didn’t treat you like a prince marry you in my place?”

“No.” He sighs. He knows she’s right, but the doubts still don’t subdue.

“And as for _them,_ I can’t answer. I would imagine Count Saazbaum would approve. He would have wanted what was best for you, no matter if that meant you happily marrying your former enemy. I don’t know about Harklight, though. I’d like to say he’d be happy as long as you were, but he was never good at forgiving.”

And there, Slaine realizes, lies the root of his problem. He will never know if Count Saazbaum would have walked him down the aisle and given him away, or if Harklight would have stood up as the best man had Slaine asked. He will never know now, no matter how many times Slaine ponders it.

He can wonder and wonder, but there is no way to completely guarantee his decision is right.

“But in the end,” Lemrina adds as an afterthought, “I think that no matter how strongly he felt, Harklight would have given up anything to see you happy.”

Given up anything to see Slaine happy.

If there was one thing Slaine recalled perfectly about Harklight, it was his face the moment Slaine agreed to marry Lemrina. It was one of the few times Harklight’s emotions slipped through his blank mask he wore so carefully when in public. There are still no words to describe the precise emotion crossing his features; painful is too superficial, upset is too weak, and angry is too wrong.

But no matter how much Harklight would have loved to have marry him, he stepped aside so Slaine and Lemrina could be content.

And as he this of that, his heart eases. He may never know- he will never know- but he can imagine. “Thank you, Lemrina.”

“I thought you might have been worried about that.” She wraps her arms around him without prompting, and after a moment’s surprise, he reciprocates the gesture. She’s learned how to love, Slaine realizes not for the first time. Her embrace seems so much warmer than it used to, so much nicer to lean into and cherish.

But in the end, it’s too late.

They can hold close now, smile and cry and share their memories together, but there is no turning back time. They have lost their chance to fall in love.

And when they pull away, she wipes away the tears welling in her eyes and asks, “Are you ready, Slaine?”

This time, he can finally smile and say, “Yes.”

They exit the room arm-in-arm as the first strains of music resonate through the building. An arch of blue roses marks the doorway to his future, and he steps through without hesitation.

This is what he wants now.

This is who he wants to meet at the altar.

And as he walks down the aisle towards Kaizuka Inaho, his eyes water. He looks so handsome in a suit, even if he wears a vibrant orange boutonniere that clashes with the blue and white color scheme of the wedding. He will always be Inaho, no matter what Slaine sometimes wishes.

When he reaches the end of the aisle, Lemrina lets him go with a push. “Go get him,” she murmurs, and he can’t stop laughing a little as he stumbles towards his groom.

Inaho’s there to steady him. He’s actually smiling for once. It’s such an odd sight on his face, but somehow, it’s suits him more than the usual blank look. “You look handsome.”

“You too.” Inaho smiles a little wider, and for the first time, Slaine swears his lone red eye waters a little too.

This is the man who Slaine will spend the rest of his life with.

And as they say their vows, as they slide their rings on each other’s fingers, Slaine finally cries. This is what he wants.

This is all he needs to keep living.

“You may now kiss the groom.”

Inaho leans down for the kiss, but Slaine presses their lips together.

_You don’t need to tell me to do that_. 


End file.
